Across The Woods
by The Lone Deranger
Summary: As Tod matures and prepares to become a father, he begins to reminisce on the days of his past.
1. Memory

Across The Woods

By Justin Lewis

**Authors Notes:**

_This is my secret work that I've been keeping quiet for a little while. After watching the movie: The Fox And The Hound for the first time in years (Mainly, it was out of pure boredom and to get a feeling of nostalgia, which this totally brought due to the all star cast), I was inspired to write something on it. This will be my first lighthearted full length (Well, maybe not entirely full length) fan fiction. I hope you enjoy my slight deviation from the more mature stories I write. However, it is more mature in it's own way._

_Length-wise, this is going to be seven chapters, the chapters will be shorter than my previous ones but a lot more detailed so by my guess, this story will be roughly 5-8k words so it won't be a long one._

_One last note, I will put a lyric of the song I use to inspire me on the top of the chapter._

_Read, Review, and Enjoy!_

_**Chapter One**_

_**Memory**_

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_I miss that town_

_I miss their faces_

_You can't erase_

_You can't replace it_

_I miss it now_

_I can't believe it_

_So hard to stay_

_Too hard to leave it._

_"Photograph" - Nickelback_

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The forest was silent as the slightly out of season thunderstorm slowly moved out of the area. Eventually, the animals began to come out of their shelter and continued on with their normal lives. Among these was a male red fox. Tod had stepped out of a small hole he had dug shortly before the storm hit, four fish were stuffed into his mouth. The hole seemed to do its job well and kept the vulpine fairly dry. After making sure everything was clear, he began to head for home.

Tod stopped at a small open area of grass that was covered by the trees. He remembered this place, it was where Widow Tweed had left him after the confrontation he had between Chief and his best friend Copper, resulting in Chief nearly being killed. His ears sank down as a vision of the poor lady turning back and seeing him alone with a tear in her eye. It brought one to his as well, falling onto the still soggy ground.

He wondered how she was doing now, he wondered if Amos Slade was still the same old coot he once was. A part of him thought that he wasn't, he didn't kill him that faithful day. Perhaps a part of Amos died inside, but another part of him knew that there was only one reason he didn't shoot. Had Copper not blocked his shot, he wouldn't be alive today. It was the ultimate showing of friendship, he knew that him and the large hound dog would remain that way forever. This brought forth another memory.

"_Copper, you're my very best friend."_

"_And you're mine too Tod."_

"_And we'll always remain friends forever. Won't we?"_

"_Yeah, forever." _

Euphoria hit him like a cannon, the days of care-free fun with the at the time young puppy was a great time for him. He missed that time and his old friends. He reminisced on how much he wanted those days back. But at the same time, he felt as though he may have something better now.

There was no sadness anymore, a wide smile appeared on the vulpine's red and white face. He put the fish down for a moment and sat down, looking toward the road that Tweed headed off as she set him free.

"I wonder if she would recognize me?" He thought aloud. He pondered on heading over there right now, but the thought left him as he had a much more important thing to do at that very moment. Vixey would worry about him if he didn't return to their den soon. He got the fish he caught and trotted back home, head held high in the wind.


	2. Coming Of Age

_**Chapter Two**_

_**Coming Of Age**_

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_Do you care if I don't know what to say_

_Will you sleep tonight, will you think of me_

_Will I shake this off pretend its all okay_

_That there someone out there who feels just like me_

_There is_

"_There Is" - Boxcar Racer_

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It was a single tree, well into its years. It stood alone around a grassy knoll overlooking a pond. On the other side was a waterfall that both Tod and Vixey found all too familiar. Neither of them minded the sight though, to them it was a place of hope. Tod arrived at his abode and took a quick whiff of the area, making sure no unwanted intruders were there. The vulpine scurried into a small hole in the bottom of the tree and placed his catch down.

Deeper in the tree was another fox, looking almost exactly the same as Tod, only a bit slimmer. Vixey opened her eyes from a quick slumber and stretched out her limbs. She could sense that her mate was back.

"Tod?" She said, followed moments later by him coming around the corner, nuzzling her while smiling.

"I got lunch." He responded back. "It's out front, you want me to get it, or do you want to get them your-"

"I'm not incapacitated yet Tod." She let out a giggle. "I can handle myself." She got up and walked calmly toward the scent of fish. The vixen took two and let Tod have the rest. He insisted that she needed to keep up her strength, but Vixey would not budge. He didn't like to argue so he let it go. As they gnawed on their food, they both were thinking the same thing.

_I can't believe I'm going to be a parent…_

Their mutual feeling wasn't a secret. Ever since the two "did it", they would talk about the future of their pups. It was an exciting time for them, even though she was in her early stages, Vixey seemed practically ready to give birth at any given time. Her confidence was surprisingly stunning.

Despite being very verbal about their looming parenthood, neither of them had told anyone else about it. It would eventually become impossible to keep it from everyone with Vixey's ever-changing appearance. They both truly wanted the news to be told sooner than later so they could get longer lasting support from their friends.

"Tod, you know that just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean that you have to watch over me every five seconds." Vixey noted while continuing to eat her fish. "I think you should take the rest of the day off." Tod shook his head for a moment and looked back at the exit.

"But I like keeping you company, and I don't want anything to happen to you." He nuzzled her again, this time with a little more force, he could see she wasn't phased. "Ah, okay then. If it makes you happy." He licked her face and finished eating. Before heading back out, he did another sweep of the area to make sure nobody could harm his precious flower. He went back inside and gave Vixey one more nuzzle for the road. "I'll be back tonight, take it easy Vixey." He whispered.

"Don't worry about me, enjoy yourself. I've become tired lately anyway so I won't be going anywhere." She let out a quick yawn before curling herself up in the corner of the den. Tod thought she looked so cute in that position, he compared it to a ball of fur.

He went outside and saw that the sky had now become totally clear. The sun was shining brightly, high above the horizon. Tod began to confidently walk over toward the water and got himself a quick drink. His reflection had shown that he had grown even more since he had met Vixey. It was a great feeling to see how much he had matured over a year, and that he had found someone to share his happiness until their dying day. The courtship between the two was rocky at first, but became a very smooth one within days. He never felt this way, not even when he played with Copper. It was true, down to Earth love.

"Wait until the gang hears about this!" He said excitedly to his reflection, followed by him sprinting out into the woods.


	3. Home Sweet Home

_**Chapter Three**_

_**Home Sweet Home**_

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_If you're listening_

_Whoa..._

_Sing it back_

_Whoa…_

"_Sweetness" - Jimmy Eat World_

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That afternoon, Tod went to go find Big Mama, the first to respond to his orphanage. Through his childhood, the owl had given him guidance and support during the tumultuous times with Amos and Chief. She had basically been a second mother to him, even now she was always there for him when he needed help.

With his rather keen sense of smell, Tod was able to find Big Mama in a place he never thought he would end up again, Widow Tweed's. He looked through the wooden bars that fenced off the area over toward her home. His tail stood straight, flicking every few seconds as he looked for any sign of the old lady who once cared for him. He found that her shirts were hanging on the clothes line, making him smile.

"Man, I really miss this place…" He looked at the wooden posts holding up the fencing, knowing exactly which one his mother left him by before her untimely demise. It pained him to think back on it, but he pushed it away, this was supposed to be a joyous moment for him. He crawled under the lower bar and headed over to the large oak tree in the middle of the yard.

"Big Mama!" He yelled out, the sound of rustling leaves could be heard up above his head. Big Mama suddenly came out of hiding, looking down to see who was calling her. Upon inspection, she put on a beaming smile.

"Tod!" She responded, elated. The owl glided down onto the soft earth and patted the vulpine's head. "Honey, it's great to see you again."

"Same here Big Mama."

"So what brings you all the way over here? It's been roughly-" She was cut off immediately.

"Nine days, I know." He let out a chuckle and sat down, curling his tail around his body. "I've been busy."

"Well, at least you've been keeping yourself occupied." She pinched his cheek, making him smirk.

"That's kind of why I came here." Big Mama looked intrigued, she wasn't sure how to take that just yet. "Nine days ago, umm…me and Vixey. We…" It was a little embarrassing to talk about to someone else, but as her name implied, Big Mama could handle it. "Well…we had…" She already knew what he was going to say and threw her feathered arms around his body.

"Congratulations Tod!" A tear formed in her eye, she was extremely proud of the vulpine, much like Tod thought of her as a second mother, Big Mama thought of Tod as her own. She realized how much he had grown up since they first met. He wasn't a little pup anymore, he was about to become a father. "You'll make a great dad."

"I bet." He smirked at the idea. "I'll make sure they grow up to be like me." Tod announced confidently.

"Well, that would be nice, I'm digging that." Two birds flew down onto the area, a black and white woodpecker, and a small yellow finch. Tod simply knew them as Boomer and Dinky. Dinky hopped onto one of the posts and cocked his head at Tod.

"Hey Boomer, you seein' what I'm seein'?"

"D-d-depends on whatcha' lookin' at, hoo-hoo! Is you lookin' at that fox that looks alot like Tod?" The woodpecker responded in his rather goofy sounding voice as he ruffled his feathers.

"Well, I'll be…Is that really you Tod?" The vulpine nodded back in approval.

"Well hot-diggidy-dog! It's Tod! It's Tod! Hoo-hoo!" Boomer yelled out in an over exaggerated manner. He went over to him and began to use his fluffy tail as a blanket.

"Hey now! We went over this before, I'm not a bed, hah!" He began to laugh as he wouldn't leave his tail alone. It was harmless fun so how could he be angry about it?

"Aw shucks! Ruining all the f-f-fun!"

"Hello there boys!" Big Mama said.

"Hey there Big Mama, how was the winter?" Dinky questioned. Apparently, they had gotten back from the South recently.

"Cold boys, cold…" They all let out a hearty laugh.

"How about for you Tod?" Tod smiled at the comment.

"Well, it was a quiet one, me and Vixey-"

"Oh b-b-boy! You're still with that Vixey?" Boomer seemed a lot more interested in the conversation suddenly.

"Yeah, and now she's pregnant!" An awkward silence came upon the group.

"You mean…" He nodded at Dinky and Boomer. They both jumped up in the air, flapping their feathers.

"Woo! That's great Tod!" Dinky replied back in ecstasy.

Boomer approached the fox and nudged his side. "Way to go buddy boy, puttin' the moves on her hoo-hoo!" Big Mama smacked him, causing Boomer to fall back. "Aww, I was only j-jokin'!"

"So when's these little critters gonna' be available to be seen?!" The finch said in a playful, yet demanding way.

"Probably late May."

"We'll be there, won't we boys?" Big Mama jumped back into the conversation.

"You betcha, B-Big Mama! I wouldn't miss it for the w-w-world!" Boomer was just overjoyed with the news.

"You know it…"

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After the hoopla died down, Tod and Big Mama were able to get some time to themselves again. They sat under the oak tree, allowing the soft breeze to hit them. It was serenity like this that made Tod happy.

"So how has Tweed been?" He asked, while itching behind his ear.

"She's well. Although I know that she misses you. It's quite amazing how giving up something you long for can affect you." He remembered his first days in the forest were extremely similar to what Big Mama was describing.

"I'm kind of glad you ended up being here, I've thought about coming back here to see how things have changed for a while now." His ears fell a little as a sigh escaped his muzzle.

"Well you know that you shouldn't be here in the first place. If Amos knew about this, you would be in a world of trouble!" She was very stern about here statement. "I suggest that you head home."

"Vixey told me that I should take some time off from watching over her. I want to be faithful on her wish. And even if she hadn't told me that and I ended up here, you know that I couldn't just leave like that. This place means so much to me. And I need to talk to Copper."

"I know honey, just be careful." She too let out a sigh as they looked over toward the Slade residence.


	4. A Late Night Visitor

_Chapter Four_

_A Late-Night Visitor_

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_If you see the light break through the clouds _

_And fire up at distant towers_

_Well the world will be begin, exactly how it ends _

_When you call for love, when you are lost _

_For evermore or whatever it costs _

_And the world will begin, exactly how it ends _

_Please stay, don't go, I got you now_

_Are you curious?_

_"Heaven" - Angels And Airwaves_

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Night had fallen, Widow Tweed was sitting in her rocking chair, waiting for her pie that she was making to be finished baking. The rhythmic back and forth movements were rather soothing to her. In her hand was a cold glass of milk, jiggling every which way as it rocked with the chair.

"Oh for heavens sake, this pie is taking awfully long to finish." She mumbled under her breath. "The oven must be broken, that's the second time this year!"

A noise reverberated through the house. It was faint but it seemed to have some sort of force to it. It sounded like something was rubbing up against sandpaper. She wondered what it could be. It definitely wasn't anything upstairs, it was too loud to be coming from up there. She ruled out everything in her peripheral vision as well.

The door!

After concentrating harder, it became clear that something was scratching against the door. She couldn't imagine what though, the barn animals never left their post, and if it were actually someone, they would probably have the some sort of modesty to actually knock. The scratching sounds became louder now, which brought Widow Tweed off of her feet. Whatever it was seemed desperate to have someone answer.

"Who's there?" She demanded.

Another sound came from the door. It was a weak cry that sounded stifled. The woman knew this sound. She had grown familiar to it, it was a fox. She froze in utter shock, was it really him? There was only one way to find out. She approached the door with caution, each step felt like an eternity to her. She was finally within arms reach of the doorknob, but she was too scared to grab it.

_JUST DO IT!_

She slowly opened the door, peering through the crack. On the other side was Tod, now sitting at attention. His tail swished back and forth in curiosity. Time stopped for them, Widow Tweed had the door wide open now, her hands over her mouth. She was speechless at this point now. Tod had found his way back home.

"Bless my soul, Tod!" She opened her arms for the vulpine and he ran right for them. She grabbed him, and lifted Tod high in the air. She had hoped for so long that this day would come, but she never expected this to occur. Widow Tweed then cradled him in her arms, rubbing his belly. Tod licked her face, tickling her nose to an extent. She responded by tickling his. "I just can't believe you came back here." She was still trying to let the moment sink in, which was when an unpleasant thought came into her head. "But you can't stay. You know better than that." His whole body seemed to deflate the second the words came out of her mouth. " It's just too dangerous. I left you in the game preserve for a reason. So people like…" She stopped for a moment. "Amos…" She spat the word out as though it were poison. "couldn't get to you. I mean, I don't mind you visiting me, but you have to know that I can't bear to see anything bad happen to you." The distress in her voice was hard for Tod to listen to. "Here…" She put him down and grabbed her cup of milk and poured a little bit into a bowl. "Have some of this." She put it down on the patio and allowed Tod to lick it all up. Savoring every drop, he finally finished, allowing Widow Tweed to take the bowl away and quickly washed it out.

When she returned, there was a rather faint glint in her eye, a tear. It began to move down her face, until it finally falling to the hardwood floor. Their time together was short lived but bittersweet. Before parting, the woman guided her hands slowly across Tod's back. It was silky smooth and well looked after. She found pleasure in knowing that he had been able to take care of himself for the past year without her.

"Goodbye, Tod…" She said as the vulpine slowly walked away, looking extremely upset.

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At the Slade residence, Chief and Copper were slumbering peacefully in their makeshift homes made out of barrels. Each was well tied up and not planning on leaving either way. Copper was jarred awake by the sound of something rustling in the bushes. The hound dog stayed silent, waiting for the right moment to attack. He decided to be stealthy about it by going back into his sleeping position.

"Copper!" A voice in the distance called, trying to restrain a loud response. This caused the hound's eyes to open wide. It was another inevitable moment for him, he knew Tod would come back one day. He spotted him as he stumbled out of the bushes that the sound originated from the first time, the red fox trembled at the sight. Copper looked uneasy, quickly glancing back at Chief who was still asleep.

"What are you doing here?" He whispered, hoping that his fellow canine wouldn't wake.

"You're my best friend, can't I stop by every now and then?" His ears sank down. "Well yeah, but it's been forever, and I didn't expect you to return." He sighed. "I thought you would have learned from last time…" His voice was bitter.

"I did, but I have to tell you something." He perked his ears back up and hoped that Coppers response would be positive. It was, so he continued on. "I'm gonna be a father Copper, Vixey's pregnant." The hound didn't react at first, it wasn't until Tod had let out a grunt to get his attention. Copper looked happy on the outside, but on the inside, he was a bit jealous. While he was cooped up for so long, the poor mongrel wasn't able to have a mate. He was raised to hunt, but at the same time he wished to have a family like his good friend was soon to have.

However, he remembered what happened the last time this happened. It didn't end well, and he certainly didn't want it to occur again. Copper set his bitterness aside and put on a smile for Tod.

"I'm happy for you." He mouthed as he heard Chief mumbling something about chasing a rabbit in his sleep.

"I think this would be a good time to leave…" The situation had become tense with the sleeping hound preparing to wake. Before Copper could say anything, the vulpine had left. Chief shook as he came out of his dream. His crusted eyes opened, causing some of it to fall off.

"Man oh man Copper," He chuckled. "I was having one crazy dream…"

"That's nice…" Chief knew what had just occurred. Before he got to the bottom of it though, he chose to take a quick stretch break. Being cramped up in a barrel is not very good for your body.

"You were talking to that fox again weren't you?" Copper's heart skipped a beat. Why hadn't he intervened? It seemed extremely out of character for him to do such a thing.

"What are you t-"

"Don't play stupid with me, I heard the whole thing." He smirked at Copper.

"Then why didn't you intervene." It was a question that Chief didn't seem to have an answer to. He just put it in simple terms.

"Maybe I felt some mercy for once…"

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Half an hour later, Tod was back home. The moonlight reflected off of the lakeside as he went inside. Vixey was already asleep, but the moment he got within five feet of her, her eyes bolted open.

"Oh, you're back." She smiled.

"Yeah, I told you I'd be back tonight, are you alright?"

"As long as you enjoyed yourself." The vulpine felt a warmness overtake him.

"Sorry for waking you, go back to sleep." She blinked, and then outstretched her body, now laying on her side. She let Tod join her, laying his head on her upper body, keeping each other warm. Soon enough, they had both reached their respective dreamscapes…


	5. I Will Protect You

_**Chapter Five**_

_**I Will Protect You**_

**Authors Note:**

_Short Chapter Incoming!_

_Also, I just started college this week, so that is why my writing has been a bit more spaced out. I will try my best to keep up with writing, but in college, school comes before hobbies._

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_Please sleep, my darling, sleep_

_Your cry for inspiration_

_Never reaches ears on distant stars_

_And every night our lonely planet_

_Slides across the universe_

_And I won't pretend I understand_

"_Little Death" - +44_

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_Six Weeks Later…_

Vixey was laying down in the meadow that overlooked the waterfall. She decided that she needed to stay fit and took the walk over. Her growing belly wiggled a little as she got back up and saw Tod approaching. While he was conscious of her appearance, he never noted it. He didn't mind it in any way.

"What brings you all the way up here?" Tod asked, cocking his head.

"It's nice up here. I couldn't pass up the offer." It brought a smile to the vulpine. He approached her, nudging her stomach.

"I still can't believe that they're gonna be here in less than a month…" His eyes were fixed on her. One thing ran through Tod's mind.

_Their names…_

A face of worry showed up on Vixey. Every now and then, she would think of a future without Tod. Whether it was because of death or other matters not in her control, it hurt her to even imagine it. How would she live with her pups? Who would they have to look up to as a father figure? Would she be able to fend off intruders? Forcing herself into her normal perspective, she seemed to be overreacting. Much like Tod, Vixey had grown up and could hold her own. Nothing could come between them and their young.

"Oh Vix', I know that face…" He frowned.

"I'm sorry, it's an infrequent thing…" She could see that the vulpine's tail was swishing in every which way.

"Nah, you don't need to be sorry." His reassuring voice gradually caused Vixey to fend off the thoughts. "The world can be an ugly place, but if we can look hard enough, there's plenty of beauty to be found." He let out a sigh and sat himself down on the grass. The mist from the waterfall sprayed lightly onto their fur. " I know that it's been hectic lately, but I promise not to let anything happen to us." His words were sincere and were straight from the heart. "We've been through alot, and I love you too much to let that happen." He licked Vixey's face and nudged up against her, feeling some slight pressure from her belly.

"I hope so Tod, you mean so much to me and your friends. I don't know how they would take it." She let out a yawn and stretched her paws out. This seemed to be a common occurrence with her carrying the extra weight around.

"I'm not going anywhere…"

They laid there by the waterfall for the rest of the day, not really saying much. They remembered the fateful day that changed their lives along with others forever. Tod had no fears anymore. His instincts had taught him well to be headstrong, and to fight back for what he believed in. And now, he was finally letting the whole parenting thing sink in. For the first time, he really felt like he was ready for this...


	6. Six Is The Perfect Number

_Chapter Six_

_Six Is The Perfect Number_

_Authors Note_

_**Yes, I named the porcupine after the bassist for Korn before anyone asks.**_

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_But everything changes_

_If I could _

_Turn back the years_

_If you could _

_Learn to forgive me_

_Then I could _

_Learn to feel,_

_Then we could _

_Stay here together_

_And we could_

_Conquer the world_

_If we could_

_Say that forever is more than just _

_A word_

"_Everything Changes" - Staind_

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_Three Weeks Later…_

The day was approaching, Tod had made sure that Vixey was well looked after if he was scavenging for food. Big Mama was usually the one who did so, but every now and then he would find some of the locals to lend a helping hand. However, when he was getting food one late May morning, he spotted Big Mama soaring his way. She seemed winded from the flight as she touched down, panting heavily.

"Tod! It's time!" His jaw dropped at the comment. He was flabbergasted to no end, he couldn't say anything. "I left Vixey with Fieldy, she needs you right now honey!" He wasted no time, sprinting through the forest to his beloved Vixey.

"Go get her Tod!"

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"Is he here yet?" Vixey moaned, trying not to move.

"I'll check right now Vixey." Fieldy replied back. The porcupine was stumbling over his words, trying to keep her calm. He ran outside and looked in all directions for any sign of him. But unfortunately, he was nowhere to be found. Fieldy frantically arrived back at Vixey's side. "I'm terribly sorry, but he's not here yet." He could see that she was in a lot of pain right now.

_Oh please, hurry up Tod… they thought simultaneously._

"Is there anything I can do for you Vixey?" He asked, looking for some way to make himself useful.

"Unless you can make this pain go away, then I'm afraid there's nothing you can do." She could see the porcupine now frowning at her response. " But thank you…" She said, trying to cheer him up.

Without any warning, something burst through the entrance to the tree. Tod skidded right into Fieldy, who in the midst of all of the commotion, had went into his defensive mode which retracted his sharp quills. Upon contact, Tod let out an ear shattering scream. None of them had pierced his skin so he would live with it.

"Vixey! Am I too late?!" He panted.

"Oh no Tod, you're just in time." Fieldy responded, allowing the vulpine to let out a sigh of relief.

"Thanks for taking care of her Fieldy, you're a good friend." The porcupine blushed under his quills.

"It's the least I could do." Fieldy had been a great help to Tod when he had first arrived in the forest. He went as far as giving him a place to take shelter during a torrential downpour. From that day, they kept in touch regularly.

Tod looked back at Vixey, who was now smiling, yet it was very obvious it was a forced smile as she was doubling over in pain.

"Fieldy, I think we need some time alone…" He understood completely, and went outside. It was eerily quiet now, the waterfall could be heard in the distance, churning up the pond water below.

"You made it…" Vixey mumbled.

"Yeah, Big Mama told me and I got here as fast as I could."

"Thank y-" She was interrupted by another wave of agonizing pain.

"Shh, no more words Vix', just relax…"

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It was a long ordeal, but eventually it was over. Now, there were six pups all by their mother's side. Three males, three females, a perfect mix. Each one had it's own distinct look that made them all unique in their own way.

First came Marc, who had a single patch of black fur that covered his left eye. He turned out to be the largest one of the litter. After that, Jessie arrived. She had a bit more white on her face rather than just on the chin itself. Third was Tod's favorite; Ian. Ian was the perfect likeness of his father, and upon arrival, the pup seemed to connect with Tod more than Vixey. Fourth was the last male; Victor. It was obvious this one was going to be the Mama's Boy because he immediately curled up in between Vixey's two front legs. The fifth to come out was the smallest; Cleo. She seemed to have a more messy appearance compared to the others, which was something that Vixey seemed to worry. She joked how she thought that she would grow up to be rebellious. Finally, came Lily, named like that because she came out in a curled up ball, and then opened up like a flower.

"Can you believe it?" Tod said as he nudged Marc lightly, making him let out a playful cry.

"Well, they're here. I think that's all you need to believe." They both laughed, followed by Tod licking Vixey's face.

"I love you." After all the pain that she had just endured, that was the one thing she needed to hear to make it all go away.

"I told you six is the perfect number." She nuzzled her mate and attended to the pups.

"I'll get the others, you going to be okay?" She nodded back in agreement. "Okay I'll be right back."

As Tod walked toward the exit, the event had finally struck him. He knew that he was ready to become a father. But now that he was, he felt a whole new feeling the thought wasn't possible. In all honesty, not even he could explain it. It caused him to stop mid stride, and let out a few joyful tears. The miracle of birth had really moved him, six times over.


	7. Epilogue: A Remembrance of Things Past

_**Chapter Seven**_

_**Epilogue: A Remembrance of Things Past**_

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_The end is near, summer days_

_All the great things go away_

_Feel the cold comin' round' the bend_

_Everything's gonna change again…_

"_Down Another Day" - Limp Bizkit_

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_One Month Later…_

" Are you sure I should do this?"

"Yeah, it's fine."

"But what if she doesn't come?"

"Trust me, she will Ian, and we'll show up afterward…"

"Okay Dad."

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Widow Tweed sat on her porch, breathing in the early summer air. Her usual chores were complete, so she took the time to do something she never seemed to have time to do: relax.

In the distance, she spotted something moving around the outer edge of the fencing. What caused her to notice the movement was the fact that it was clearly something red.

"Tod?" She stood up from her seat and began to approach him since he didn't seem to be approaching her. Instead, she found a small baby fox that couldn't have been more than a few months old. If not for it's small size, she could have easily mistaken him to be Tod. It was all so familiar to her. The little pup tried to hide behind one of the posts as she drew near.

"Well hello there little fellow." She knelt down next to him and looked around. "Where's your parents?" The pup let out a loud yip and began to run toward the house, nearly knocking her down. Widow Tweed turned around to locate him, and saw that he was running at something on the door. She looked closer and found that there were seven standing there. Ian ran back to his father and nuzzled him, making her jaw drop.

"Oh my goodness!" She ran jubilantly toward the group, stopping at the steps of her porch. "You have a family Tod!?" She scratched his chin, followed by Ian's. "They are just adorable!" She examined all of them, seeing how they all had qualities of their respective parents. Victor seemed to be extremely shy and hid behind Vixey, but she forced him out and approached Widow Tweed.

"Don't be shy." She said as he sniffed her palm. After a minute, Victor came closer and allowed her to pick him up. His red fur was extremely smooth, making her hand glide through it with relative ease. The pup seemed to enjoy it too. She eventually let him go and return back to his mother.

"Oh Tod, you've grown up so much. It feels like yesterday when I found you just like your little one." She sat down on the steps and allowed Tod to sit in her lap. "And now that Amos moved away, you can visit…" Her voice drifted away as Tod's heart broke. He would never see Copper again, he yearned to show him his offspring so bad, but now that seemed impossible. But deep down, he was happy. Tod knew one thing and only one thing for certain, him and Copper would remain friends forever, as promised.

" Thank you so much Tod for showing me this." She held him tight for what felt like an eternity before he jumped off of her lap. The vulpine motioned to his family and they followed him out toward the dirt road. Widow Tweed stood up and waved goodbye to them, silently weeping as Tod did the same.

"Are you okay Tod?" Vixey questioned, he shook his head and stopped the flow of tears, he replaced his sorrow with a proud smile.

"Yeah, everything is perfect…"

_**The End**_

"_But friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life, and thanks to a benevolent arrangement the greater part of life is sunshine." - Thomas Jefferson_


End file.
